LIKE NO OTHER
IF I’VE SAID IT ONCE, I’VE SAID IT A THOUSAND TIMES.
People who are fortunate enough to call Artesia home are some of the most blessed
people around. It’s that simple.

STACI GUY

Editorial Director

FOCUS ON ARTESIA

My family and I moved back to Artesia
in 2005, shortly after the birth of our
son. Like most young people returning
home after a stint away at college and
beyond, we had our trepidations.
What will people think? How will we
survive without shopping malls and a
plethora of restaurants? What will we
do for fun? I mean, these are legitimate
questions, right!
Well, it turns out, the more involved I
became with my community and the
more connections I made, the more I
realized that Artesia is a community
like no other. It’s small, but mighty;
it’s remote, but packed full of big-city
offerings. It’s like no place I’ve ever
traveled to or lived in, which is what
brings me to my point.
We live in a day and time when many
public libraries are dying off and
falling into ruins and when small-town
America is being edged out by big
cities and sprawling metropolises. But
not here, not in Artesia. Everywhere
you look you’ll see the fruits of our
labors – from the bronze monuments
depicting our heritage, to the football
stadium and sports complexes, to the
Ocotillo Performing Arts Center, and

4

FOCUS ON ARTESIA | FALL 2013

now to this – the new, state-of-theart Artesia Public Library. Our cup
runneth over.
What many people might not
realize is that the new multi-million
dollar “public” library was only
made possible because people in
this community – private citizens
– worked together and donated the
money needed to see it built. Whether
they gave millions or thousands or
even hundreds of dollars, people of
all walks of life pitched in to see to
it that it was fully funded. Equally as
important are the countless volunteers
who have attended meeting after
meeting, poured over every detail,
donated land and time and resources
to make sure the library came to
fruition. I’m here to tell you, things
like that don’t just happen everywhere.
In fact, you can take a drive several
hours in any direction from Artesia
and you probably won’t see anything
like it for a long, long time.
At Focus on Artesia, we wanted to
honor those individuals who helped
make the new public library possible,
that helped usher in the historic Peter
Hurd mural, and those that help
create the fabric of our community.
The best way to do so, we figured,
would be by dedicating our entire fall
issue to commemorating those very
things. Inside this edition of Focus on
Artesia, you will find stories about the
businesses involved in making room
for the library and important people
whose vision and dedication brought
forth the ideas and funds necessary
for the mural and the library. You will

hear from school officials and students
who are full of excitement and hope
for what the library will offer our
youth, and you will find stories about
literacy and art and the public/private
partnerships that co-exist in Artesia.
We packed this issue full of stories that
will hopefully inspire you to read and
create and volunteer.
Lastly, but most certainly not least,
we wanted to make sure and pay
special tribute to a woman unlike
any other – a woman whose vision
has had a lasting impact on the very
essence of our town – Ms. Estelle
Yates. She played a vital role in not
only the building of the new library,
but also in the procurement of the
Peter Hurd mural. Her contributions
to this community are priceless and
appreciated more than she could
have ever known. Unfortunately, she
passed away in September, just shy
of the grand opening, but there’s no
doubt she would be thrilled with the
finished product. It is our great honor
to dedicate this issue to her!
I hope that you will take the time to
read through this commemorative
issue and learn about all the great
things this town has to offer and all the
great people who make it possible.
Oh, and make sure to like us on
Facebook and visit our website for
updates, stories and photos. We try to
add fresh content as often as possible,
so tell your friends about us and visit
as often as you’d like! FocusNM.com

A B O U T T H E E D IT O R

Staci Guy is the Editorial Director of
Focus on Artesia. She can be reached at
staci@ad-venturemarketing.com.
FOCUSNM.COM